Transitions in reproductive traits accompany biome shifts in New Zealand species of the plant genus Veronica.

Authors

Esther E Dale, Luke G Liddell, Andrew J Tanentzap, Anne E Thomas, John R Pannell

Published in

Journal of evolutionary biology. Aug 29, 2026. Epub Aug 29, 2026.

Abstract

Evolutionary transitions between contrasting trait values likely occur in response to selection in new or changing environments, and these trait changes may be particularly large when a lineage shifts to occupy a completely new habitat or biome. Biome shifts can have major effects on the evolution of the species involved, including anagenetic changes in morphology, physiology, or life history and accelerated cladogenesis and diversification. Biome shifts can also be viewed as movements beyond a range margin. These shifts involve overcoming the physiological barriers that previously limited establishment, but potentially also subsequent evolution in other traits under the new environmental and biotic conditions. We examined how shifts between contrasting lowland and mountain biomes corresponded with evolution of a series of vegetative and reproductive traits, particularly focusing on transitions between combined and separate sexes (hermaphroditism and dioecy or gynodioecy) and between pigmented and white flowers in New Zealand's largest native angiosperm clade, Veronica sect. Hebe. We found an association between the evolution of a dimorphic sexual system and occupying the mountain biome, but sexual system transitions and biome shifts did not coincide. White and pigmented flowers were associated with mountain and lowland biomes, respectively, with coupled biome shifts and colour transitions. These associations between biomes, sexual system and flower colour states are likely driven by differences in types and activity of pollinators between biomes. Our findings illustrate how important changes in reproductive traits can accompany biome shifts, with some changes being more closely coupled to biome shifts than others.

PMID:
42668141
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 30 Aug 2026.

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